Date Tuesday 04 November 2025
Location Central Saint Martins
Overview
Arts SU x Auto Italia – Call for Event Proposals
Part of the Connection + Collaboration, 2025–26 Academic Year
Arts SU is excited to announce a new partnership with Auto Italia for the 2025–2026 academic year as part of our Connection + Collaboration strand, supporting students to develop networking skills and build connections with peers, industry professionals, and cultural organisations.
Join Auto Italia Director Maggie Matić and Rachel Routledge (Curator; Community and Engagement) for an introductory talk on the work of Auto Italia, their programme, volunteer strand and to hear more about this new exciting new opportunity.
As part of Art/Work Association (A/WA), hosted by Auto Italia, we are seeking dynamic event proposals that critically engage with contemporary issues. Formats can include (but are not limited to) artist talks, workshops, seminars, reading groups, or screenings. This call is open to early-career artists, creatives, and cultural workers studying at University of the Arts, London.
We welcome interest from students at all levels of study, from Foundation to PhD, and from any college or course within UAL.
About Art/Work Association
Art/Work Association (A/WA) is an annual programme of events by and for early-career artists, creatives, and cultural workers in London. Conceived as a platform for artist-led learning, it provides a supportive space for critical conversations, professional development, and networking with peers.
Sessions take place monthly at Auto Italia and are led by early-career practitioners. Each session offers opportunities to share research, explore new ideas, and engage with contemporary issues in art and culture.
The forum is free to join and becoming an A/WA member is easy; you can join the mailing list here to sign up and receive monthly updates about upcoming events.
Event Structure
Your event can take any format, including, but not limited to, a talk, workshop, seminar, reading group, or screening. You might facilitate an ‘in conversation’ with a guest, lead a reading group centred on texts or research of your choice, deliver a workshop exploring questions of community, creative practice, or contemporary cultural issues, or present a screening and Q&A. Each event is peer-led and experimental, designed to foster critical dialogue, knowledge exchange, and collective learning.
Auto Italia promotes the events through their social media channels, website, and mailing lists. Events are supported either online via Zoom or in person at Auto Italia, with a preference for in-person sessions.
Each event can be up to two hours long, and a fee of £250 is offered per session to cover artist fees and materials.
You can visit the Art/Work Association website to view previous A/WA events.
Selected students will gain
- An inception meeting and two mentoring sessions with Auto Italia
- Hands-on support to plan and deliver your event in the gallery
- Promotion and documentation of your event
- Curatorial and logistical experience in a professional gallery context
- A written reference upon successful completion
Skills you can gain from this opportunity:
By taking part in this opportunity we hope you will develop your skills in:
- Creative and Conceptual skills
- Communication and Collaboration
- Cultural and Contextual Awareness
Arts Programme Skills Recognition framework
Timeline
- Applications close: Sunday 16 November 2025
- Notification: By end of December 2025
- Curatorial support: January – March 2026
- Events delivered: April & May 2026 (dates to be agreed)
Application form
Deadline: Sunday 16 November 2025
Image credit : Bhenji Ra, 'Biriddali Dancing on the Horizon', 2024. Installation view at Auto Italia, London, UK. Courtesy the artist. Photographer: Henry Mills.